Match holder



Aug. 12, 1924. 1,504,593

A. ZISKA, JR

MATCH HOLDER Filed Feb. 16, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Aug, -12 1924. 1,504,593

A. ZISKA. JR

MAN}! HOLDER Filed Feb. 16. 192; 2 sneeus=shet 2 00 0277 ZzLsfiaPatented Aug. 12, 1924.

ra ses PATENT (.DFFICIEZ.

ADAM ZISKA, .13., or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

MATCH HOLDER.

Application filed February 16, 1923. Serial No. 619,393.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM ZIS'KA, Jr., a citizen of the United States,andresident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MatchHolders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof. 7

This invention relates to match holders and is particularly directed toa holder for papers of matches.

As is well known, the use of papers of matches, or little paper packagescontaining paper matches and carried within a foldingcover flap, hasvastly increased and va rious types of match holders have been providedfor these packages. However, the matches are not loose in the pack-ages,but have to be torntherefrom. In doing this,

it is'frequently the case that the packages are pulled compljetelyfromthe holder and the user finds himself with the package in his hand afterhe has used the match. It is most often the case: that the user, throughinadvertence or otherwise, places the package i'n his pocket, therebynecessitating the refilling of the match holder with a new paper ofmatches. The expense for an individual paper of matches is very smalhbut where this practice; is continued throughout the day' andextendsover a largenumber' of months, the expense for hotels, Pullman carsandother places where the public is waited-upon, becomes enormous. j 1

Further than this, it is usually offensive for-an attendant to call theattention of the user to the fact that he has removed the paperofma-tches, Such trivial occurrences as this occasion the loss of theusers future trade; Y I 1 j This'invention is designed to'overcome theabove noted defects in match holders for paper matches and the' primaryobject of this invention is to provide a holder for papers of matcheswhich will prevent the withdrawal of the paper of matches, but willallow a single match to be readily detached therefrom.

Further objects are to provide a holder for papers of matches which willautomatiwhich is so constructed that it may be readily combined with anash tray which will receive the detached stub without requiring theattendant to remove such stub.

A further defect of the present types of holders is that the strikingsurface is frequently marred and torn by the successive tearing away ofthe matches. This invention overcomes this defect and provides a holderwhich will protect the striking or abrasive surface from injury, butwhich will hold such surface inan exposed manner, so that it may bereadily used in striking the matches. Embodiments of the invention areshown in the accompanying drawings, in which v Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of one form of match holder, associated with its cooperatingashtray.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view through the structure showninFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a front View of afurther form of the invention. 7

Figure 4 is a section on the line it-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical enlarged section of a further form of theinvention.

' Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged view of a further form of theinvention, such figure corresponding to section on the line 66 of Figure7 Figure 7 is a sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 1,suchsection being taken on the line 77 of Figure 6.

I Figure 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view of a further form of holder.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the holder, such, for instance, as thatillustrated in Figure 1.

Figures 1 and 2, showing one form of the invention, will first bedescribed. In this form of the invention, a pair of holders areprovided, which are integrally joined by meansof a U-shaped back plate1, which is provided with upstanding parallel portions and with anintermediate connectingportion fact, in' any desired manner.

2. This connecting portion is clamped to a corresponding portion of anash tray 3 by means ofrivets, bolts, spot welding or, 1n The back platescarry a supporting frame work which comprises side portions 4 joined byan upper bar 5 and a lower bar 6, such frame being designed to encirclethe stub, or base portion of a paper of matches.

Means are provided which permit the ready insertion of a paper ofmatches, but

I which prevent their withdrawal from the holder, while allowing them tobe'pu'nched' therefrom downwardly through the holder [and to freely fallinto the ash tray. This is readily accomplished by providing the backplate 1 of each of the holders'with a cutout portion. 7 within which ismounted a Figures 3 and 4, showing a further form of the invention, willnow be described. In

this form the holder indicated generally at 10 ,is similar to theholders previously described, except that the resilient pawl 11 is 7formed integrally from a struck up portion of the back plate 12. Thisback plate is off set and continueddownwardly to provide an attachingplate. 13 provided with suitable apertures '14 adapted to receiveattaching screws. If desired, a-name plate, such as the raised port-ion15," may be provided, and an attachingfhook l6 adapted to carry atelephone directory or similar de- Y vice may form the lower portion ofthe hold: "er. In this form of the invention the hold er is adapted tobe attached to the side of a Pullman car, for instance, or to thevertical face of a table top, or inany similar position A paperofmatches has been indicated in "a fragmentary manner in Figure 4 ,and

'clearly illustrates the operation of the apparatus. Itis to be notedthat the paper of matches carries aseriesof paper matches 17, which areclamped between an enclosing paper case l8, one face of whichis'provided with a striking or abrasive surface 19. Matches and caseareclamped and held together by means of a'staple 20.

Figure 5,sho'wing:a furtherform of the invention, will now be described.It may be desirable to integrally form the holders with the ash tray as,for example, by means of die casting or, in fact, in anyjsuitablemanner. This type of device is illustrated in. Figure 5 and itwill beseen that the vervtical walls'21'of the ash tray are continued upwardlyand may conveniently form the back plates 22 of the holders. A tubularconnecting portion 23 may be provided, within which are mounted a pairof plungers having hollow cylindrical portions 24 and a beveled forwardface 25 and a fiattened lower face 26. These plungers are pressedapartby means of a helical spring 27 seated within the hollow portionsthereof. They are preferably provided with reduced extensions upon whichthe portions 25 and 26 are formed. A convenient way of retaining theseplungers in position is secured by spinning, swaging, or otherwisepressing an edge portion 28 inwardly of the tubular connecting portion23, so as to provide a small flange, or shoulder, against which thecylindrical portions 24 of the plungers contact. Figures 6 and 7illustrate a further form of retaining pawl. In this form of theinvention a pawl 29 formed of resilient sheet metal is secured to-theback plate 30 by folding a portion of such back plate over the pawl, asindicated at 31 in Figure 7. The lower portion of the pawl is free andis inwardly directed. Such lower portion may be serrated, as indicatedat 32 Flgure 6, to provide a plurality of teeth. These teeth may bebeveled from the rear side forwardly, such beveled surface beingindicated at 33 in Figure 7. V

Figure 8 shows a further form of pawl and will now be described. In thisform the pawl comprises a member 34: having a notched forward face 35and a rear cam surface 36 cooperating with a cam surface 37, formed uponthe back plate 38 and so slanted as to throw the pawl forwardly when itslides upwardly, thereby binding the paper of matches. This pawl maycon- 'veniently be provided with lateral projecting pins 39 cooperatingwith slots 40 in the side walls 41 of the holder and may be providedwith a downwardly projecting stem, or pin 42, suitably guided andprovided with a slanting slotted end 43 cooperating with a lower guidingpin 44. A helical spring 45 is preferably positioned around the pin 4-2and urges the pawl upwardl In allforms-of the invention the ho der maybe provided with upper and lower outer straps corresponding to thestraps, or bars, 5 and 6, one or both of which may have an off setportion 5, as illustrated in Figure 9, such figure being a plan View ofany of the holders illustrated in Figure 1. This off set portion 5provides suitable space for the staple 20 (see Figure 4) and allows theready and free insertion of the paper of matches. If desired, the backplate 1 may be similarly outwardly bowed, although it is not usuallyfound necessary. Obviously, this result could also be accomplished byrounding the upper edges of the holder, as indicated at *6 and 47 Figure7.

It is intended that either or both of these means may be employed withany type of holder.

The operation of these devices is as follows:

A paper of matches is inserted in the holder by passing the stub portionthereof downwardly into the holder with the striking surface exposedthrough the cut-out portion. The pawl of the holder will allow the freedownward sliding of the folder, but will resist the upward motionthereof by either digging into the rear face of the package, or bycatching upon the rear portion of the staple 20. The cover may readilybe torn from the stub, leaving the matches exposed. When a paper ofmatches has been used, the attendant refills the device by merelypressing a fresh paper of matches downwardly mto the holder, therebyforcing the stub of the former package downwardly through the holdersuchstub freely falling into the ash tray. It is to be noted that the pawlspermit this downward motion, but resist anyupward or outward motion ofthe package. It is to be noted, also, that the bars, or straps, 5 and 6(see Figure l) for instance, protect the striking surface againsttearing or damage and that the upper member 5 forms a guide againstwhich the matches may be torn from the package.

It will thus be seen that an extremely simple and eflicient type ofholder for papers of matches has been provided and that this holderpermits the ready removal of a single match, but prevents the removal ofthe paper of matches.

It will further be seen that a holder has been provided which permitsthe ready refilling thereof without requiring the attendant to manuallyremove the used stub and it will be noted in this connection that theash tray cooperates with this particular type of holder by catching theremoved stub and avoiding'the necessity of the attendants carrying suchstub away. i

I claim: 7 V

1. A holder for papers of matches comprising a back plate, a frameextending therefrom and adapted to surround a portion of a paper ofmatches, and a resiliently urged pawl supported from said back plate andadapted to engage said paper of matches and prevent the withdrawalthereof in an upward direction, said frame having an open bottom portionwhereby said pamper of matches may be downwardly ejecte 2. A holder fora paper of matches comprising a back plate, a frame extending therefromand adapted to encircle a portion of such paper of matches, aresiliently urged tongue carried by said back plate and having a freelower edge normally directed inwardly towards said frame and adapted togrip said paper of matches and prevent its withdrawal therefrom in anupward direction, said frame having an open lower portion, whereby saidmatches may be downwardly ejected.

3. The combination of an ash tray and a holder for papers of matcheslocated thereabove, said holder comprising a rectangular frame having anopen top and bottom and a spring pressed tongue having a free lower endresiliently pressed inwardly of said frame, whereby a paper of matchesmay not be withdrawn upwardly from said frame, but may be presseddownwardly through said frame into the ash tray.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

ADAM ZISKA, JR.

